Trip to Wolverine

July 18th, 2011 by Carl D
Nimble Bob hiking the Nizina Glacier, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

I just had the good fortune to spend a week with a fellow whose company I enjoy very much, Bob S, from California. Bob’s been out on 4 trips with me now, 2 photo tours to Skolai Pass, 2 weeks in Katmai photographing grizzly bears and now a trip to Wolverine and the Nizina Glacier in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Thanks Bob for your fantastic company!

The first trip Bob made with me was on what became a somewhat infamous Skolai Pass Photo Tour, where we basically hunkered down under a tarp for the bulk of the week avoiding the sleet and wind and rain that hammered Alaska most of that summer. Yikes!

So I was more than amazed when Bob contacted me about a redo the following year. A hardy soul indeed, so we ventured back to Skolai Pass, where we had a grand time, some great light, and a memorable morning photographing a friendly grizzly bear in the mountains. Good times. The following year Bob comes back again, for 2 weeks in Katmai photographing the great coastal brown bears. We had a fantastic time, and some great photography opportunities.

This year we did a mixed trip, some time down “low” in the valley floor, hiking and photographing the Nizina Glacier and surrounding area, and then made our way up to Wolverine, a high alpine ridge above the Chitistone Valley, where we walked and talked and took pictures in the mountains. Good stuff.

Next year Bob aims to go to Africa for a photo tour, so anyone with any recommendations for a great trip to shoot wildlife in Africa, please get in contact.

Cheers

Carl

Moose cow and calves

July 17th, 2011 by Carl D
Moose cow and 2 calves, standing in the boreal spruce forest, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Here’s a moose cow and her twin calves we saw just off the McCarthy Rd recently. That’s the 2nd cow and twin calves I’ve seen this summer inside the park. Few critters are cuter than moose calves. I’d like to have got a little closer and made some better images, but hell hath no fury like a mother moose protecting her calves; caution keeps my distance.

Cheers

Carl

Image of the Month – University Range

July 1st, 2011 by Carl D
One-flowered cinquefoil, University Range, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Image of the Month for July 2011: from a photo trip in June. This scene from Wolverine, looking across the Chitistone Valley toward the University Range.  The alpine flowers up there were gorgeous this last week, earlier than I expected them to be, but I was glad to be surprised.

This is part of the view we had right from camp.

Cheers

Carl

Image of the Month – June 2011

May 31st, 2011 by Carl D
Photo of Mount Blackburn alpenglow, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Image of the Month for June, 2011. Mount Blackburn, in all the glory of a clear winter morning.

This is another of those photos I really wanted to shoot for along time. As grand a scene as Mount Blackburn is in the summertime, from Kennicott or McCarthy, it doesn’t get that really great alpenglow like this, because the sun rises and sets so far to the north during those months.

For years I thought about making the effort to shoot Mount Blackburn in the winter in rich warm light. Finally making the photo was a nice treat.

Cheers

Carl

Image of the Month – May 2011

April 30th, 2011 by Carl D
Standing brown bear sow, Katmai National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

From last year’s Grizzly Bear Fall Photo Tour. It took a lot of trying, but I finally managed to snag a few images of this grand bear standing upright, looking toward me.

A photo like this is one I’ve really wanted for a long, long time, so I was pretty glad when I finally managed to get something like this.

Can’t wait to get back there this year and see how she’s doing. The bears are just a great way to end the season.

Cheers

Carl

Trip Sale – 3 people for the price of 2

April 20th, 2011 by Carl D
Hiking above the Jacksina Glacier
Sanford Plateau trip, above the Jacksina Glacier, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Please click on the image above to view a larger version of this photo.

Hey folks,

That’s right, a killer deal here, but you have to move fast. Ending April 30th. Book a trip for this summer, 2011, for 3 or more people, and Expeditions Alaska will comp the cost of one of those people.

3 people hike for the cost of 2.

If you’re thinking about a hike this summer, let us know ASAP, and we’ll work out this arrangement for your group/family.

This deal lasts until the end of April, 2011; so contact us ASAP and make an inquiry before then, and we’ll work out the details for the trip. Summer will be here before you know it!

Cheers

Carl

PS – Hey Folks – It’s now May 1, 2011, and I’m sorry this offer has now closed. But – feel free to send along an inquiry and we’ll see what kind of deal we can work if you’re interested in a trip this summer. Thanks to everyone who contacted us already.

Pack your sleeping bag

April 9th, 2011 by Carl D
Backcountry campsite, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska
A snowy campsite on the high alpine tundra of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Termination dust covers the ground, or fresh fall snow, and Mt Jarvis (13 421′) of the Wrangell Mountains stands dominating behind. Backcountry campsite, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. On a backpacking trip in September. Please click on the image above to view a larger version of this photo.

Hey folks

A lot of people planning their Alaska backpacking trip inquire about the “best” sleeping bag to bring; i.e., what temperature rating to bring. My recommendation has always been for a warmer bag than many people typically expect. My advice for a summer camping bag in Alaska is 20deg F, (about -6deg C) and no warmer.

That is, 20deg Fahrenheit minimum! Do NOT bring a 32deg F bag (0deg C).

Surely it’s not going to be below freezing in July, I hear folks respond?

Well, hopefully not. But it certainly can be, especially if we hike up in the high country at all (which we typically do, because that’s where the views are, and where the brush isn’t). And the altitude needn’t be that high; 5000 feet is alpine country in Alaska.

But the reasons for a warm bag go beyond merely snow and cold. Some folks will say they’d rather bring a warmer bag, like a 32deg F bag, as it’s lighter weight, and they can always wear extra clothes to bed if need be. They’ll be bringing warm clothes along anyway, right? Sometimes, this is true. But there can easily be times when it is not true. How about your fleece jacket is wet? Or you lose it (yes, I’ve seen that happen)?  Continue reading…

Image of the Month, April 2011

April 1st, 2011 by Carl D
Mount Sanford, Copper River Basin, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

From a trip to Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve last month, here’s a photo of Mount Sanford and the Copper River Basin.

The wind was fairly whippin this morning, and it was way colder than I like for it to be, but the light was nice. What a  mountain, eh?

Cheers

Carl

Northern Lights over Denali

March 11th, 2011 by Carl D
Aurora borealis and Denali, Denali State Park, Alaska.
Aurora borealis lights up the winter night sky over Mt Denali, highest mountain in North America. Viewpoint from Denali State Park, Alaska. Please click on the image above to view a larger version of this photo.

Hey folks

The highest mountain in North America, Denali, or Mt McKinley as it was once officially known, of the Alaska Range are dwarfed by the Aurora borealis, spiralling overhead in the night sky.

What a treat it was to see this last night. Well worth waiting up for. It’s 10:45am right now, and I’ve only been home maybe 30 minutes. A long night, cold and windy, but some fantastic sights to see. Winter in Alaska can be long and cold and dark; but those things are quickly forgotten in the moment.

On another note, my thoughts and prayers go all the way out to those folks in Japan; I haven’t seen all the reports yet, but from what I understand, the situation is pretty horrible. I feel for you.

Cheers

Carl

Image of the Month, March 2011

March 8th, 2011 by Carl D
Snowshoeing, Wrangell St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Another photo from a winter trip; this one to the Mentasta Mountains in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. My favorite mode of travel; snowshoe up, and ski back down. It’s worth bringing the extra gear!

Heinous wind – Yikes!

Cheers

Carl

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